Article appeared Friday, January 2nd, 2015 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (360)

yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

Are products made for a specific purpose? Products are generally made to fulfill an objective.
The makers usually state the purpose of the product in writing and provide guidelines to derive
the best and most efficient use. The book with the guidelines may say, Operating Instructions,
or Trouble Shooting Guide, or Users Guide, or Maintenance Manual, etc. To help people
clearly understand the purpose and importance of the product guidelines, words such as
Warranty Void if used incorrectly are displayed. For expensive products such as cars, there may
be groups, other than the manufacturer who place emphasis on proper use. For example, the
Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) {1} issues the following instructions to its members:
1. Read and follow your owner's manual.
2. Select a repair shop before you need one, but be sure it is registered with BAR.
3. Know your rights as a consumer.
4. Keep this guide in your car and refer to it before taking your car in for service.
So there are guidelines even for car repair. The guidelines {1} begin by saying, since you
depend on your vehicle. and end with:
This publication may be copied if the meaning of the text is not changed or
misrepresented, if credit is given to the Bureau of Automotive Repair, and if copies are
distributed free of charge. {1}
Why is emphasis placed on reading and following the guidelines? Why should the meaning of
the text not be changed or misrepresented? From the manual can users choose guidelines that
they feel they like and ignore those that they dont agree with? If the guidelines given in the
manual are not read and followed, whose loss is it? Finally, does it matter who delivers the
guidelines or in what manner they are delivered the guidelines are simply for the best use of
the product.
Can we run away from the fact that human beings are products with intelligence and a free will?
Would created beings need to know the purpose for which they were created, objective of the
life on earth and how to get best use of the created life?
Like earlier Holy Scriptures, the Quran updates and adds guidelines for intelligent human
beings. It is up to each individual to read and follow the guidelines for his/her own benefit. If
anyone ignores the guidelines and does not read to follow, the loss is entirely personal. The
following Verses in Sura Hud or Chapter 11 of the Quran therefore warns of the illogical doubts
one may have:

11.12 Then would you possibly leave out some part of what is Revealed to you,
or is your heart constrained by it because they say, Why has there not been sent
down a treasure or come with him an angel? But you are only to warn! It is Allah
that disposes all affairs!
As the latest guidelines for human beings were Revealed through Prophet Muhammad (pbuh),
our Creator Allah first questions him, would you leave out parts to please those who do not
believe? The Creator goes on to mention the illogical statements made by some disbelievers,
e.g., why does he not have special treasures and/or why does he not have an angel at his beck
and call? Guidance is for the benefit of human beings, to get the best out of their life and
achieve peace and satisfaction. The First Verse of the second chapter in the Quran says about
itself,

This is the Book about which there is no doubt, guidance for those conscious of Allah.
[2.1]
In the subsequent Verse, Allah continues to enlighten us of the doubts and accusations that are
leveled against the Quran.

11.13 Or do they say "He invented it"? Say, "Then bring ten Surahs like it that
have been invented and call (for assistance) whomever you can other than Allah,
if there be any truth in what you say!
Those who accuse the unlettered Prophet of writing or inventing the Quran stand challenged.
Allah says in another place in the Quran, that not only could the Prophet as an individual not
write something like it, even if the whole mankind got together with all the Jinn for producing
something like the Quran they absolutely could not:
Say: "If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together to produce the like of
this Qur'an they could not produce the like thereof even if they backed up each other
with help and support. [17.88]
Allah continues to challenge intelligent beings. Essentially, if anyone feels there are other gods;
let those gods be approached and asked for a service. No deity other than Allah can respond to
any request made by a human being. If imagined gods are not able to fulfill their needs, what
does it imply?

11.14 If they (the gods other than Allah) do not respond to you then know that
it (these Verses) were Revealed with the knowledge of Allah and that there is no
deity except Him. Then would you not be Muslims (i.e., submit your wills to
Allah)?
Should not they, then, come to a logical and practical conclusion, and turn to the Creator?
When my servants ask you concerning Me I am indeed close (to them); I listen to the
prayer of every suppliant when he calls on Me; let them also with a will listen to My call
and believe in Me; that they may walk in the right way. [2.186]
The Creators Call is given as Guidance in the Quran to get the best use of the created life.
And He gives you of all that you ask for. But if you count the favors of Allah never will
you be able to number them: (yet) verily man is given up to injustice and ingratitude.
[14.34]
Being most Merciful, while on earth, Allah will not deprive those who are unjust towards Him,
i.e., do not acknowledge Him as the Source of Life and blessings and are not inclined towards
Him with gratitude.

11.15 Whoever desires the life of this world and its glitter (adornments) We will
fully repay them for their deeds therein (i.e., during the worldly life) and they
therein will not be deprived.
However, such people will be completely deprived of the blessings of the life of the Hereafter
the real life after death.

11.16 Those are the ones for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter but the Fire.
And lost is what they did therein (i.e., in the present life), and worthless is what
they used to do.
-------{Notes}:
{1} http://www.bar.ca.gov/Consumer/Auto_Repair_Guide.html